If you thought birding just could not get better you
should have been at the Tolka Branch outing last Saturday ( 23 September
2006). The wet and uncertain weather brought some fabulous birds inshore
at Skerries and some new to Dublin birding! A
Pomarine Skua 22 Arctic Skuas 1,000's of Manx Shearwaters,
two female/immature Goosanders, a Black Tern and, to top it
all, two wonderful Leach's Petrels provided a thrilling finale.

The dull and damp day with showers did not
dissuade 30 birdwatchers from joining us at Swords, Rodgerstown and
Skerries. Some new faces and the old stalwarts braved the weather for a
truly excellent days birding with over 60 species recorded during the
trip. Early highlights were a Kingfisher at Swords together with a
Ruff. An adult and a juvenile Sandwich Tern gave good views
and proved to be a “tick” for some of the group. Always thrilling to see a
new bird! No small waders at Swords but we did see about 150
Black-tailed Godwits, small numbers of Redshank, Lapwing and
200 Black-headed Gulls. Among the gulls we were able to pick out
two Common Gulls – an adult and a juvenile.

Black-tailed Godwits

An excellent opportunity to compare the gulls and
observe their features. Four Teal were also present as well as
those perplexing and curiously coloured hybrid Mallard that
frequent the north side of the Swords estuary with the Mute Swans.

At Rodgerstown, a fly over by a Buzzard put up a range of smaller
waders. The four Green Sandpipers were thankfully oblivious to the
raptor and gave very good un-interrupted views from a distance of about 20
meters. Among 50 + Dunlin we identified two Curlew Sandpipers.

Green Sandpiper

From there the hardy ones continued on to Skerries where strong winds
brought lots of seabirds close inshore. Those who arrived early at the
site (while others stopped for food!) were rewarded with close views of
two Arctic Skuas. Over the following three hours, those who stayed
on were rewarded with 20 more Arctic Skuas with a Pomarine Skua
also appearing just offshore. Some of the skuas were chasing the big
mixed flocks of terns and gulls that were moving south.

Sandwich Tern

Common Gulls

Grey Wagtail

Among these flocks
we found a lovely Black Tern and five Little Gulls,
including one adult with beautiful black underwings. Also heading south
were two wonderful Goosanders…cousins of the commoner
Red-breasted Mergansers. They were the highlight of the day until…a
petrel was discovered slowly flying south. Long wings, a narrow white band
on the rump, dark underwings, typical gliding flight…a Leach’s Petrel…with
a second just behind. These are indeed a truly rare bird off the east
coast and gave great views as they battled their way south. It was one of
those Tolka days!